As she stood there she lifted her arms towards us, and began to sing.
Her voice I had always considered to be her chief attraction, for not
only was it rich and tuneful, but unusually well trained. I had not
heard either song or tune before.
"Come to me, dearest, with a love
Eternal, strong as death;
Love that but lasts a transient life,
And fades with fading breath,
Can bring to this sad heart no joy,
No ecstasy divine;
Eternity is far too brief
To fill this heart of mine.
Though I should change, as all must change.
My soul shall ever be,
In youth or age, the soul you love
Through all eternity.
The beauty now that charms your eye,
This youthful form so fair,
Shall alter with each passing year.
Is it for these you care?
Go! face the truth! If all the grace
That earth alone can give,
Were turned from one you think you love,
What of that love would live?
A little space--say fifty years,
Or only five, may be,
And all that now you prize so much
Shall change to what you see.’"
The last few lines of the song almost died away, for at the commencement
of the last stanza a most extraordinary change began to take place in
the singer. The only way in which I can describe it is to compare her
to a waxen image that was being melted rapidly by the strong light
falling from above. Everything seemed to slip away downward and
disappear, except the skeleton, which stood with hollow eye-sockets and
moving jaw chattering out the last few words. There was a frightful
shriek, and at the same moment the curtains fell together.
We were all, Sydney excepted, far too horrified to move. He, however,
got up immediately and drew back the curtains. The room was just as we
had left it; Miss Halcome still lay on the sofa in exactly the attitude
he had placed her. Lady Todman was the first to speak.
"Just as I said, tempting the devil! And a nice fright he has given us
all. Not that I was frightened. I just shut my eyes and said my
prayers."
The poor old woman was simply shivering as she spoke, and we must
therefore excuse her, for it is possible she did not know what she was
saying.
"If any one wishes to talk about what we have seen," remarked Sydney,
"he should do so at once, before we bring Miss Halcome out of her
trance, as I am sure every one will agree with me that nothing of what
has occurred should be mentioned in her presence."
"Oh! for goodness’ sake!" cried Lady Todman, whose chattering teeth
reminded me of the skeleton, "let’s wake her up at once, or we shall be
having I don’t know what next! It is quite sinful, it really is!"
As no one seemed inclined to do more than utter a few disjointed words
such as "Awful!" "Most remarkable!" etc., Sydney struck a match, and
lighting a powerful lamp held it in front of the girl’s eyes.
At this she sneezed twice, and then sitting up said--
"What’s the matter? Why did you all leave the table?"
Her companion, holding the lamp still near her eyes, then told her that
as she had gone into a trance the others had left the room, but he
mentioned nothing of any further experiences; and she, seeming none the
worse in any way, followed him into the outer room.
While looking round on the faces present I noticed that of a young man
who was a stranger to me. As the girl came forward a look of terror
passed over his features such as I had never seen before, and hope never
to see again. There was still more mystery, apparently, behind even the
late mysterious performance, and I began to wonder whether my friend’s
motive for coming might not have something to do with the terrified face
before me.
Shortly after this, to every one’s relief, the carriages began to be
announced. I asked Sydney if he were driving, and finding that he was
not, offered to take him with me.
"No," he replied, "let us both walk. I get too little exercise as it
is, and cannot afford to miss an opportunity."
I agreed, and sending the coachman home, we started together.
There is no time like night for walking, and as the south-west wind blew
softly against us, I felt as though it would have been pleasant to spend
hours in the open air. There was much that I wanted to say, but for a
few moments the delight of quiet night kept us both from speaking. At
last I broke the silence.
"Well, that was the most extraordinary experience," I remarked; "can you
throw any light upon it? Talk about the days of miracles being over!"
"The days of so-called miracles will never be over," replied my friend,
"till all have equal knowledge. A miracle is but a natural law, of
which most persons have hitherto been ignorant, brought into play at
length by one who is better informed than the majority."
"But you had nothing to do with the manifestation of to-night, had you?"
I asked.
"It was all my doing, with the exception of the first act, and even that
was ruled by my influence; but I will explain it to you, as by doing so
I shall save trouble later on. I told you that I had come to-night for
a reason, and that my object was an important one you may judge by my
using a power in public which I have seldom cared to exercise. No one,
however, suspects that I had anything to do with what happened beyond
being able to give them a little information; all the credit or
discredit will be with the performers at the table. Let me first
explain what I did, and then give you an idea of my motive.
"Before the ladies left us I exercised my will on Lady Folker and two
others to try table-turning that evening. It is a slightly dangerous
amusement that has recently revived; and is nothing else but a
convenient form of semi-mesmerism caused by the joining of hands. If,
which is unusual, no one tries to cheat or to fool the others present,
the persons will soon feel a tingling sensation in their arms and hands,
and lastly through their whole bodies; when the balance of will is
fairly even, nothing may happen for some time, but at last one
will-force must predominate the others, and quite unconsciously that
power influences all the rest, so that every hand moves by the order of
a semi-dormant will. Hence the moving and tilting of the table, the
message received, etc. Sometimes the motive-will, being partially
entranced, becomes a medium for the transmission of thoughts passing
through the mind of some absent friend, for under certain conditions
thought can be transferred, even as the sound of the voice through a
telephone; but this is too lengthy a matter to go into now.
"As a rule, however, one of the party being more susceptible than the
others, will before long become unconscious, or completely mesmerized.
This is, as you know, what happened to-night, and in this condition the
predominant will, whether the owner thereof be absent or present, gains
complete control, speaking through his or her voice, and in fact acting
the part of hypnotizer on a patient. Sometimes one of the party
present, and then another, will so act on the medium, and each one be
unconscious of doing so."
"I begin to see now," I said, "what happened. Your will acted on the
girl, and you made her do just what you wished. But how about the
skeleton?"
"You are mistaken," my friend answered, "and you forget about the
curtains going back of their own accord. I adopted a simpler method,
and one less harmful to the girl. Those at the table mesmerized her,
but I mesmerized all the others present; from the time the curtains had
been drawn till I myself threw them back not a single thing took place,
and the room was in silence with the exception of the shriek of horror
when I relaxed my power, and you saw, as you thought, the curtains fall
together."
"Do you mean to say that the girl had nothing to do with it, and that
she never moved?"
"She never stirred so much as a finger, but her condition assisted me in
a way that you will understand better when I explain the laws which
govern the transmission of will-force, for in her state what power she
possessed was added to my own."
"And you mean to say that during all this time we were staring like a
pack of fools at a blank curtain?" I demanded.
"I should hardly put it in that way myself," he replied. "It is true
that that is what your bodily eyes were doing to all appearances, but
your minds had a most impressive scene in front of them, which though it
reached them from a different channel than the eye, was none the less
vivid."
"But how did you convey the impression?" I asked.
"That," he replied, "requires what I fortunately possess, a vivid
imagination, and it was only necessary for me to call up the visions for
them to pass also before you; but it is exhausting work, as you will
find some day if you try it, for the mind must never wander for a
moment, and few people have learnt the art of perfect
self-concentration. It is also necessary that for the time being the
operator should be in a half-entranced state, or the pictures would be
meagre and unreal. This condition, which for the sake of convenience
may be called day-dreaming, requires much practice, but it is
nevertheless fairly easy to learn. I will before long show you the
method of acquiring the habit, so that you can judge for yourself of its
use."
"And now," I asked, "what was your motive for giving us such a terrible
experience? You succeeded in giving one young man, whose name I don’t
know, such a scare that he will be some weeks before he gets over the
effects."
"I pray that he may never get over them," said Sydney. "If he should,
my work has failed. His name is William Jackson, and he is the only son
of the late Sir John Jackson. You may have heard of the father, as he
was fifteen years ago one of the most notorious and wealthy rakes in
London; in other words, having made a god of self, he had become a fiend
to others. Thus, as we carry our circumference with us, he raged at the
hell he created, whilst increasing its torments. It is only when we
fully realize the damnation of such lives that our hatred turns to pity.
Some whom I have known had good cause to hate his memory, as you will
hear in the story of my life. Too often have I in his case forgotten
that vengeance is not man’s business, and that the law of retribution
never faileth. It is easy to forgive one who wrongs you, but how hard
when the injury is to one we love; when we see some weak loved spirit
driven further into the darkness, deeper into the thicket of pain, for
though we know that in the end, as Tennyson so finely expresses it,
’There shall be greater good because of evil, larger mercy through the
fall,’ yet is the suffering present and it is hard to see those we love
in pain. William, however, takes far more after his mother than his
father. She is a good and noble woman, purified by suffering of which
she had in the latter days of her husband’s life considerable
experience. It would be cruel not to try and save her from like misery
through her son, to whom she is devoted. He is a youth of good ability,
possessing even half-fledged genius; his nature is at present very
susceptible to kindness, and in many ways lovable, but he is cursed with
his father’s passions, and should this get the upper hand, the finer
qualities of his disposition will drag him the more quickly down. If he
once came under the influence of a heartless animal nature, there would
practically be little hope of saving him."
"And one with that nature was there to-night?"
"Yes," he replied, "Miss Halcome is of all girls the least suited to be
his wife, yet he loved or fancied he loved her, and she has set her mind
on marrying him, though I believe she cares only for his wealth. But I
do not know that I should have interfered were it not that I possess
knowledge which makes the whole case most terrible. It is not fit that
any child should be born into the world cursed by a double descent from
such a man as Sir John Jackson."
"And are you certain that Miss Halcome is really his child?" I asked.
"Unfortunately I have too good reason to know," he replied; "but this is
where we part, and I have told you enough to throw some light upon this
evening; the rest of the explanation can be left till I reach that part
of my story where it would naturally come in."
*CHAPTER IV*
On the following evening, as soon as we had finished dinner, Sydney led
me, as on the previous occasion, through his study and into the library;
but we did not wait here, for going up to a curtain at one corner, he
pushed it aside, and opening a door led me into a room beyond. This
room did not seem to be lighted in any way from the outside, but an
electric light, the first I ever saw in a private house, cast a strong
glare over the apartment.
As soon as we entered, my companion touched a handle and a shade passed
over the light; the effect was pleasant and restful. Except in one
recess which was curtained off from the rest of the room, there were few
signs of comfort. I could not help fancying that I had suddenly entered
a scientific laboratory; the walls of the room were covered with
mechanical apparatus of various kinds, and with shelves that contained
rows of bottles, tubes, and other chemical appliances.
"This," said Sydney, "is my workshop, where for years I have been busy
trying experiments on nature by the assistance of knowledge gained
through the development of our sixth sense. There is no doubt whatever
that when men once begin to understand the uses of this latent power,
existence will be revolutionized entirely. The world as it is now will
cease to exist, and there will be a new heaven and a new earth. But,"
he continued after a pause, "I fear the time is not yet come; for so
awfully will man’s power be increased, that unless our natures are at
the same time purified and perfected, existence here under such a
reversal of conditions would be in truth hell itself.
"Fortunately, however, the power of using this sense is greatly
dependent on the lives of the persons employing it. If a man has not
learned to curb his passions and keep his body under control, he will
make little progress, for the subjugation of the body is essential to
success. The weakness of my own nature has, alas! too often caused me
to break down at the very moment of seeming victory. If only a man were
perfectly unselfish, pure, and free from pride, he could without the aid
of science and without seeming effort control the forces of nature.
Such a One has been on earth, and we know the result. Such power may be
given when man has learnt to follow His example. But as man becomes
conscious of his new powers we may expect a terrible time of transition,
for with the possession of free will each added gift means added force
to evil as well as to good, even as I was saying last night with regard
to the gift of alcohol.
"People will soon find this out, if they have not already done so, with
regard to hypnotism. In the time that is coming no creed shall save a
man, for the wonders that shall be done on the earth shall deceive all
those who have not experienced the realization of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen; all those in fact who are not able to
distinguish truth from falsehood by the instinct of their own hearts.
It is doubtless for this reason that scientists have so long had their
eyes blinded. When the time shall come, and the people are ready, these
men shall lead, as they have ever led, the march of progress; yet they
must abandon pride if they hope to succeed.
"I perceive, however, that like many others, you are more anxious to
hear of the marvellous, or to see it, than to listen to the future
possible condition of things which probably will not take place in your
lifetime. If, therefore, you will lie down on the couch in that recess,
I will continue my story, though on a somewhat different plan from that
to which you are accustomed."
I lay down, and he drew the curtain that divided us from the rest of the
room, and sitting beside me, said,
"If I remember rightly, I left off last time when, having just recovered
from my first trance, I found Vera and Vancome standing over me. I felt
very little the worse for my experience, and seeing that I did not
appear likely to faint again, my companions went on their way to Heather
Lodge, leaving me to walk back home. During the evening I began to feel
nervous and distressed; a weight of anxiety seemed to be hanging over
me, none the less real because it was undefined. I went to bed early,
but instead of feeling better, the nervousness increased. On whatever
subject my thoughts turned, the unpleasant impression followed them,
haunting me and driving sleep far away. At last in despair I determined
on an experiment. I would try to think of nothing, and keep my eyes
steadily fixed on some imaginary spot just over my head. The room was
dark, but (as any one who has tried the experiment will know) if you
concentrate the eyes on one dark place for any length of time, that spot
will appear light. As I watched the light it revolved at first slowly,
and then with increasing rapidity. Though unknown to me at the time, the
method I had adopted is the simplest and easiest way of hypnotizing
oneself, and with a little patience most people could do it, for if the
light does not soon revolve it is easy to start it by moving the eye, as
it always follows; the great difficulty is to keep the mind from
wandering.
"When these revolutions had continued for some few moments, I became
about every alternate second, as it were, blind, seeing nothing, and my
mind also during the same period became a blank; then pictures
alternately flashed across the darkness, so rapidly that I could not
perfectly grasp them. But after a time I was able to see quite clearly,
and this is the picture which I saw."
Sydney stopped speaking, touched something, and the light was
extinguished; then as he placed his hand on mine, I found that I was
looking into a room which was lighted by a number of shaded candles. A
man of about thirty was standing with his back to a log fire, and a girl
was lying on a sofa near him. The girl was the same I had previously
recognized as Vera; the man I had little doubt was Lord Vancome. He was
speaking in a low tone, but every word was distinct.
"How cruel you are to me, Miss Soudin! The very softness of your voice
but adds to the bitterness of your words!" Then coming a little nearer
and speaking still lower; "Vera!--I must call you Vera, just to hear the
word--if you could but know for one moment what it is to be a man and to
see such loveliness, and yet not to be able to approach it; to have to
stand off and to be told that it belongs to another. If you could only
know, you would have pity before you send me from you for ever! How can
you be so cruel?"
"Oh, Lord Vancome!" said Vera, "I wish you would not talk like that; you
know I do not wish to be unkind, but you must remember I am engaged, and
it would be very wrong to let any one kiss me."
"Wrong! You dear innocent thing!" he answered; "how small is your
knowledge of the world! Do you think girls never let any but one man
kiss them? And what harm would it do? Do you fancy a kiss leaves any
mark behind that would betray us? No, the only mark will be upon my
life, a mark of brightness in the gloom!"
"Oh! but I really could not!" she replied; but even as she said the
words, her up-turned face, her eyes, her lips, denied them, and she knew
it; and the spirits of evil and of good knew it; and the man who stood
trembling with passion over her, knew and took advantage of it. As he
did so the scene vanished.
Sydney turned on the light, and then said--"That is what I saw; but what
I felt it is impossible to describe. The girl lying there listening to
the stage-learned sentimental drivel of a half-drunken blackguard--that
she could not see through it--that she was unable to distinguish the
laugh behind the scenes, or know that at some future date the details
exaggerated would be retailed to a club audience--that she should let
him even kiss her!
"I came-to from that trance little better than a madman, with one only
hope, that it might not be true; one determination to find out for
certain, and if so to be revenged--revenged on the man. My love for the
girl was unchanged, and I realized with something akin to horror that
nothing could alter it; that from the moment when I made my vow, her
fate and mine were woven together; and in this first vision of her
damnation I felt driven from the face of God, a thing accursed. I had
taken her sin upon me, as we must ever take the sins of those we truly
love; and I had then perhaps for the first time some faint idea of the
meaning of the word substitution, and could understand how one perfect
in love, and therefore perfect in holiness, must in a world like this
bear the sin and carry the sorrows of humanity.
"As every man born into the world becomes a unit, influenced by all that
preceded him and influencing all future life, so must each be a saviour
or destroyer through self-renunciation or through egotism. To One alone
can we give the title, the noblest and the grandest for us to conceive,
of the Saviour. He, who possessing fully the spirit of God’s order and
of God’s love, was ordained to reflect them once perfectly upon earth so
that He might show to the wanderers of all time the possibility of man’s
nature, and the only path by which we may return to peace. Men waste
time in disputing if this Saviour was God. What know we of God but by
his attributes? Which of these attributes can we conceive bound down in
human form which was not manifest in the Christ? Could love exceed His
love, or meekness His humility, whose unselfishness asked no reward of
gratitude, and the exercise of whose power was ever restrained by the
hand of a far-seeing compassion? Is all we read true? Perhaps not; the
hand of imperfect devotion often, through want of insight, may have
touched and marred the picture, but the portrait remains, if somewhat
soiled through the fingers of adoration. On the other hand, if the
painter of our picture had no living model, a thing well nigh
impossible, then must he have been the Christ, for no soul can rise to a
sustained ideal beyond the possibility of his own nature.
"How wretched and partial a thing my love was, may be seen at once by
the bitter feeling of revenge that took possession of me. I fully
believe that at that moment I could have murdered my enemy in cold
blood. It is a humiliating reflection that there is virtually no crime
of which the best of us could not be guilty if the temptation were only
strong enough and the circumstances propitious.
"The next morning I walked to Heather Lodge, and asking to see Mr.
Soudin, was shown into his library. The old gentleman was sitting there
dressed for shooting, and did not seem very pleased to see me.
"’I must apologize,’ I began, ’for coming up before the week is expired,
but I have good reason to believe that Lord Vancome is making love to
your daughter, and feel that it is impossible to let things go on as
they are. I must therefore ask you to release me from my promise and
allow me to have an interview with her at once.’
"I knew that to all appearance I was making a fool of myself, but being
desperate and unable to think of any better plan, I adopted the simplest
one of speaking the truth.
"’You must be mad, Mr. Sydney,’ he replied. ’You insult, without any
possible grounds, both my daughter and my guest, and show yourself
unworthy of the position in my family which you wish to occupy.’ Then
without speaking his thoughts continued--’_I hope he may be correct; if
so, that settles the business once for all, and I can get rid of him._’
"I felt so angry with the man before me that I lost all self-control.
’If you think that you can play fast and loose with me,’ I answered,
’you are mistaken. I know your views perfectly well, and that you are
anxious that your daughter should, if possible, become Lady Vancome. If
you were told such a marriage would end miserably; that Lord Vancome is
thoroughly bad, it would not influence you. I will, therefore, keep
strictly to business, and for your daughter’s sake give you information
which may possibly have some weight. Lord Vancome, never wealthy, is a
gambler, and, if report speaks truly, has nearly reached the end of his
resources. On the other hand, though it is not generally known, I have
an income of over twelve thousand pounds a year, derived from safe
investments. You can verify my statements without difficulty!’
"I saw my companion, when I came to the last part of my sentence,
metaphorically speaking, prick up his ears. He, however, sat a few
minutes silent, and I had to content myself with his thoughts, which
after all were far more important. And this is what I made of them--
"’_Twelve thousand pounds a year--safe securities--four per cent. at
most--three hundred thousand pounds capital--other fellow broke--wonder
if it’s true--soon find out--getting tight myself---cannot live on a
broken Lord for son-in-law--good job, if it is true, I found it
out--must write at once to ... and make inquiries--wish this fellow was
broke and the other had his money--getting to hate Sydney--damned prig!
talking to me like that--what in the name of the devil am I to do?--the
beggar seems regularly to see into one!_’
"At this point I thought it well to keep up my advantage, so I said,
’That facts are as I stated, you can find out as soon as you please, but
one thing I wish you to understand; if I leave this house without an
opportunity of speaking to your daughter, when you have dismissed Lord
Vancome as unsuitable, you may find you have lost me also!’
"’Really, Mr. Sydney,’ he replied, trying to force a smile, ’I am afraid
being in love does not agree with you; your nerves seem thoroughly upset
this morning. But I suppose we old people must put up with this kind of
thing, we were all young and foolish once. Many years ago I believe that
even I was jealous. There is, after all, no particular reason why you
should not see my daughter if you wish; but it is the tone you have
adopted which I object to. Money, my dear sir, money is a thing that,
where my child’s happiness is at stake, would never cross my mind; it
must rest with her to decide, when she is a little older and knows her
own mind, what husband she will take. So long as he is a good man and
of gentle birth, I shall not interfere!’
"’Have I your permission, then,’ I asked, ’to go and see her?’
"I saw he was about to consent when the thought crossed his mind that
very likely she was at the moment with Vancome, and he replied, getting
up, ’I will send her to you.’
"Soon after his departure Vera came into the room looking very pale and
nervous, and I saw that she was wondering what could have brought me up.
As I looked at her, my love, pity, and anger grew uncontrollable, and
entirely upset my mental balance.
"My animal nature got the upper hand, and I became, for the time being,
cruel. My very passion, as is often the case under such conditions, was
an incentive rather than a check, to that which, in the language of
hypocrisy, is termed ’religious anger,’ but which is often little better
than the counter thrust of a wounded heart. I will, I thought, use my
power against this girl, and make her see herself even as she is.
"’Vera,’ I began, ’I have got your father’s permission to see you again
before the week is over. I find it impossible to keep away from you,
dearest, any longer. I want to hear from your lips once more that you
love me, and that you will be my wife.’
"’Why, of course I love you, dear,’ she said, a look of relief coming
into her face as she came forward, evidently expecting that I should
take her in my arms and kiss her.
"I took both her hands in mine, and looked into the sweet face before
me. Was it possible that I might have been mistaken? That I was a
victim of delusion? As I stooped and kissed her forehead, I said--
"’Have you missed me much, dear? And did you find the hours hang
heavily?’
"’Oh, yes,’ she replied, ’it has seemed such a long, long time. But
after all, you see, we have met once already. Have you quite got over
your fainting fit? Do you know that you don’t look at all well. When I
came in I was quite afraid something had happened, you seemed so queer.’
"’What did you fancy could have happened?’ I asked. ’Did you suppose
that in this short time I had fallen in love with some one else, and had
come to break the news to you? Now, tell me, are you jealous? Let us
hope not, because you know it would be unpleasant to have a jealous
wife. Should you be very angry if you knew that I had sometimes kissed
other girls?’
"’How can you be so horrid!’ she answered, looking troubled and
perplexed. ’But you are only joking. Why, if you ever did such a thing,
I would never! never! never! speak to you again.’
"’Why?’ I questioned. ’Do you think there is much harm in a simple
kiss? Do you fancy that men only kiss one woman in their lives?’ I
stopped abruptly.
"She stood staring at me with a frightened look in her eyes, but whilst
I was watching she turned away; then her thoughts came quickly. ’_Just
what he said about women--after all I did not kiss him. And how could I
help his kissing me? I wonder whether Alan knows any thing--Can he have
guessed? No, it is absurd! But somehow he frightens me, especially
when he looks in that queer way._’
"’Vera,’ I said, ’sit down. I want to talk to you, to explain something
so that in future we may understand each other. You see you are going
to be my wife, and those who love should have as few secrets as
possible. Now I feel sure that you have something on your mind, and I
want you to tell it to me. Don’t be afraid that I shall be angry.’
"’I don’t know what you mean,’ she answered. Her manner was half
defiant, half frightened.
"’Should you have wished me to be present, though unseen, in the
drawing-room last night, between ten and eleven?’ I asked.
"She lost her presence of mind in a moment. A bright flush passed over
her face and left it deadly white.
"’How mean!’ she cried. ’You were outside looking through the window.
I don’t know what you think you saw. It is disgusting of you to have
done such a thing.’
"’I was in bed,’ I replied.
"’Then what on earth do you mean?’
"’I mean this, that last night a gross insult was offered to one I love,
and that she accepted it, and what is more, accepted it willingly.’
"’Oh! I know you were looking. But I don’t care if you did see, it was
not my fault. I tried to prevent him, but he would do it, and I hate
you now! Yes, I do! You are mean, and you tell lies!’ Then she burst
into a flood of tears.
"’Vera,’ I said, placing my arm round her, ’I have told you no lie. If
I tried to explain how I know all, yes, all that happened, far more than
could have been seen through any window, you would simply not understand
me. You say I spied upon you. How was it then that the shutters were
not closed, and the blinds and curtains drawn as usual?’
"’They were,’ she replied. And then in the pause her thought continued.
’_I looked to see afterwards, and that is just what I can’t understand.
Besides, he could not have been in the room either, for I examined
carefully after Vancome left, as I had an uncomfortable feeling at the
time that some one had been watching us._’
"’Cannot you understand,’ I asked, ’that if we love a person very much
we may be conscious of what is happening to such a one, even though we
are not present?’
"’No,’ she replied, ’I don’t believe anything of the kind. You may
imagine things, or you may see them, or be told about them; but I won’t
listen to another word. I hate you! and would not marry you now if you
were the only man on earth. I would rather marry Lord Vancome, so
there! And I will kiss him too, just to spite you, if for no other
reason. Whatever else he is, he is a man, and you are not! You are a
devil!’
"She got up, and before I could stop her, rushed out of the room. I
went to the window and looked out. In the distance I could see Soudin,
and Lord Vancome, with keepers and dogs starting for their day’s
shooting. There was no fear of my being disturbed for some time, so I
sat down and reviewed the situation. Vera had defied me, and there
seemed little doubt that if left to herself, she would throw me over and
accept Vancome. That is to say, if he had any intention of going beyond
flirtation, which seemed doubtful. On the other hand, I felt satisfied
that when her father had verified my statements, I might fully rely on
having the paternal influence. The retreating figures of the two men
seemed to show conclusively that he already believed me; otherwise there
is little doubt that he would have seen me safely out of the house
before starting off for the day with my rival. I had therefore to
decide an important question. How far was I justified in influencing
this girl’s will? Could I, in fact, excite a love which was not
spontaneously given? Should I not, in doing so, destroy the one thing
that gives to life an interest and meaning, namely, freedom of action,
without which man would be little better than an automaton?
"Whilst I sat thus musing over what may well seem to you a comparatively
trivial matter, a new light was cast upon the mystery of life, for as I
realized how unsatisfying such self-created love would be, I began to
see an interpretation which had not previously occurred to me in the
parable of man’s fall. Was it not possible that the Creator of all
things, not fully satisfied with the loving obedience of those who
through their very nature were only able to do His bidding, decided to
create man, a being, who like Himself, should know by experience the
good of order, the evil of disorder, and therefore be capable of
discovering which path leads to pain, and which to happiness; one who in
the end should love him with the deep love that is a free offering of
the lesser nature to a greater which is akin to it?
"While thinking about these things it seemed clear, that if any man had
the power of partially influencing another’s will, he must be careful
how it was employed. I began to wonder why it had been given to me, till
I remembered that after all it was but a developed form of that
influence which we see around us every day, and that the reception of
good, and the rejection of evil influence, is the necessary part of free
growth. As man therefore develops, we might naturally expect that he
would have to contend against stronger and more subtle forces. For
these reasons it seemed to me that we are as fully justified in using
any such powers, as we are in applying the more ordinary methods of
influence, provided that we do so unselfishly, and in no way permanently
overpower the general freedom of another. This latter restriction, as
you will see, is open to a very wide construction.
"I had, however, up to this time, seldom tried to exercise my will on
others, for though Descartes has given up a great part of his manuscript
to this subject, my time had been chiefly occupied in studying the
transmission of thought, which is, as it were, a first step to the
other. Until you can read the thoughts of those around you, it is
practically impossible to convey distinct impressions to another, unless
for the time being the person is in a trance condition, when it is
comparatively easy. The mind in this latter state being deprived of its
usual guiding forces, is peculiarly susceptible to any external
influence. It is probable that I should have been unsuccessful in the
attempt now made, had I not been working on one with whom I was already
familiar, and who was partially under my sway.
"I willed that she should come back to the room, having a strong desire
to tell me all that had happened on the previous evening, and the
feelings that had influenced her throughout. In a few minutes the door
opened and she entered; there was nothing in her appearance that would
have led any one to suppose she was acting under restraint, or had in
any way been mesmerized; her face was slightly flushed, and her eyes
showed traces of recent tears, but she was outwardly calm. Having
closed the door behind her, she came and stood before me.
"’Alan,’ she said, ’I have been thinking that perhaps it will be better
to explain exactly what happened last night; you will then understand.’
"I said nothing, but continued to concentrate my will, urging her to
tell me all, not in the conventional manner of speech, but from her
soul.
"’I have, you see, a sort of liking,’ she continued, ’for Lord Vancome,
a liking which is checked yet increased because I am afraid of him. I
don’t understand the feeling, but it is nice to play with fire; as a
child I always loved to run my finger through the flame of a candle,
each time more slowly till at last it just burnt me a little; and then I
like, oh! you cannot know how I like to influence others!--to feel that
for the moment I can turn them this way or that; to realize that there
is some charm about me which holds them with a spell, and which they
cannot escape. If you could have seen his eyes last night as he
followed my every movement! I, only a country girl, and he a man used
to all the beautiful women of London. I do not love him, I do not love
you; in fact, I don’t know what people mean by love, but I like people
to be attracted by me, and to make much of me; and--well, to lead them
on. Why should I not? Then he wanted to kiss me; he came nearer, I
refused to let him; I felt more frightened, but I liked the feeling;
would he or would he not? Then I looked up into his face in a way that I
felt sure would make him, intending all the while to refuse if he tried
to take advantage of that look. But he was too quick, and--and it was
nice to feel powerless, but it was not my fault, for I told him not to
do it.’
"’Vera,’ I said, and my heart was very sad, ’can you not see, do you not
understand, that it is your will and not your words that matter? Men
and women are differently made, and the temptations of the latter come
chiefly from weakness and vanity; but tell me why it was you promised to
be my wife if you do not love me?’
"’Well,’ she replied, ’I don’t quite know; you see I don’t love any one,
but I suppose I shall when we marry, and it would be nice to marry. It
would be lovely to have a wedding and presents, and to be made a lot of,
and to have people talking about me, and it’s dreadfully dull at home;
besides, you are strong, and it is nice to feel that there is some one
to lean upon, some one to trust. But I hate you now, and I will tell
you why. You see into me, and I don’t like it. I know you do, you see
my thoughts, and if when we are married I did anything which you would
not like, I should be afraid you might find it out. It would be better
to marry Lord Vancome, he is not a bit like that; though I would rather
trust you of the two in a difficulty.’
"I had become so interested in what she was saying that I had relaxed my
power over her, and was only reminded of the fact by her next remark.
"’I do not really know, Mr. Sydney, what induced me to come down and say
all this nonsense, for I have quite made up my mind, and it is no use
your asking me to reconsider the matter. After your insult I shall
never think of speaking to you again.’
"’I don’t know that you have been asked to change your mind,’ I replied,
altering my tone, and no longer striving in any way to affect her
judgment. ’You have wronged yourself, and would put the blame on me for
bringing the fact home to you. I can for the present think of nothing
to say, nothing to do; but remember, though you do not love me, I love
you, and love never changes; whatever may happen in the future, Vera, as
long as I live you will find me unchanged in two things---my desire for
your love, and my wish to help you.’
"’Thank you, Mr. Sydney,’ she answered, making at the same time a little
mock curtsey; ’I do not think it at all likely that your valuable
assistance will be required, or that you will succeed in gaining my
love. Good-bye!’
"’Well,’ I reflected, while walking back slowly over the moor, ’for one
possessed of exceptional powers it seems that I have made a pretty fair
mess of the whole thing.’ And I began to understand how limited all
influence must be under such conditions. For, in the first place, I
wished for the love of a girl who was as yet incapable of understanding
the meaning of the word; and secondly, was trying to save a soul from
its own nature without destroying its freedom of action.
"I left Scotland on the following day and returned to my chambers in
London. Before doing so I wrote a note to Mr. Soudin saying that though
my feelings were still quite unchanged towards Vera, I felt it would be
better for both of us if we did not meet again just at present. I also
asked him in the event of his coming up to town, if he would call and
see me.
"In reply a most cordial letter arrived, saying that he expected to be
in London in the course of the following week, and that he would be sure
to call and look me up.
"When I had settled down once more in my own rooms, my thoughts turned
to Vancome. I hated him with a hatred that was almost madness. In
later life it is impossible to feel either the passions of love or
hatred as we feel them in our youth.
"I look back upon this period of my life with horror and contempt; but
it is none the less important that you should follow me through it, as
you will see what new temptations to evil every added power brings with
it. I determined, if Vancome had not already ruined himself completely,
to beggar him, flattering myself that in so doing I was but assisting
lagging Providence, getting out of the way a corrupt influence, making
myself an instrument of retribution to avenge the many whom he had
wronged. I set about my plan carefully and systematically, being aided
not a little by my increasing powers, and still more by an entire
disregard of expense. I very soon had a far more correct knowledge of
his affairs than he probably possessed himself, for few people in money
difficulties can bring themselves to face the unpleasant facts connected
with their position.
"When his father died he came into the title and property; the estate,
which was not entailed, had been heavily mortgaged, and since then every
year the burden had been increasing until it was very doubtful if at the
present time a forced sale of the property would cover his liabilities.
The mortgagees were pressing for a large sum of interest overdue, and
Vancome’s solicitors had done all in their power to raise this money,
but as yet without success. I therefore called on a firm of rather
second-rate bill discounters, and had an interview with Mr. Marsden, the
senior partner, who had some interest in the mortgage.
"I have always adopted one method in dealing with business men, which
has proved on the whole successful. I will endeavour to describe it to
you briefly, as it may be of service. Each man’s honesty lies on a
certain plane, and the types can for convenience be classified under
four heads.
"No. 1, which is rarely met with, may be called the natural inclination
level.
"No. 2, the advantageous moral level, which, except under severe
temptations, it is equally safe to trust.
"No. 3, the reflecting level.
"No. 4, the fear of detection level.
"More men set their honesty down on No. 3 platform than on all the rest
put together, and as Mr. Marsden was among the majority, it will be as
well, therefore, to explain more fully what is meant by the definition.
"This type is honest or dishonest simply through the way it is
approached. If you go to it in a meek and quiet spirit, carrying all
the guilelessness of your nature on your head, and all your cunning
wrapped in a napkin, it will meet you frankly, treat you moderately
fairly, and protect you with almost tender solicitude from the jaws of
any of the No. 4 type. This way of approach is, moreover, safest in
dealing with all business men, for if you come on one by mistake whose
honesty is altogether absent, such method will incite to greed, and your
wolf will be less careful to keep on his sheep-skin.
"I learned this lesson when quite a youth from the relation who has
since left me a great part of his fortune. He was one of the most
successful men in London, and when I asked if he would tell me the
secret of his power, he replied in his queer and enigmatical way--’I
have sucked in knowledge through every pore, and studied men always from
behind the mask of stupidity; those who wish to be thought wise must be
content to remain fools; for in the light of seeming wisdom, the bats
hang head downwards in their safe retreat indistinguishable from the
dirt around; but they flutter in the dull face of stupidity, and may
easily be knocked down and trampled upon. Nevertheless,’ he continued,
winking at me, ’it is good sport sometimes to cast off the veil, and to
give these people a taste of your power; then the poor wretches will go
away blubbering that you have hurt them, and the world, knowing how
stupid you are, will say that you must have been mad.’
"Thus I went, carrying a helpless expression, to Mr. Marsden, and
letting him know that I was very wealthy, and at the same time anxious to acquire the whole of Lord Vancome’s property, I threw myself upon his world-wide knowledge, and asked his advice. |
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